Exerciser



Feb. 9 1926.

C. D. LAYMAN EXERCISER Filed March 5, 1924 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9,1926.

UNETED STA- ES' PATENT FFI CE.

CHARLEE I), LAYMAN, OF LOU SVILLE, KENTUCKY.

EXEBCISER.

Application filed. March 3, 1924. Serial N0. 698,633.

.To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, CHARLES D. LAYMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, State ofKentucky, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Exercisers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and

A further object of my invention is to provide an exerciser of the typedescribed which may be manufactured at Very little expense, thuspermitting the ordinaryperson not having access to a fully equippedgymnasiumto have the benefits of a rowing machine in his or her ownhome.

A further object of my invention is to provide an exerciser of the typedescribed in which novel means is employed for vary ing theresistance-offered by the exerciser, so as to accommodate the device foruse by children or grown persons.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which is extremely compact in form, so that when the exerciseris not in use, it may not encumber the premises upon which it is kept.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the .accompanying drawings forming partofthis application, in which- 7 Fgure l is a front elevation of anembodiment of my invention, i i I Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevationof a part of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1, i

Figure 3 is atop plan view of the mech anism illustrated in Figure 2,

Figure l is an end elevation of a modified form of my invention, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 55 of Figure i.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a suitable supporting surfacesuch as a door l. My purpose in choosing a door is so that when the dooris folded and moved the manner shown in Figure 2.

back against the wall the exerciser is.

entirely out of sight. A bracket 2 is secured by meansof wood screws orthe like ad acent the top of the door 1. This bracket 2is provided witha horizontal rod 3 having compression springs 4 and 5 secured .atopposite ends thereof, 'and arranged to, lie in a substantially verticalplane. i i i The lower ends of the compression springs eland 5 areprovided with T-sliaped connecting members 6. These connecting members 6are each connected with a pair of flexible cables 7.

Each pair of cables 7 is wrapped oncearound a fricti'ondrum hingedlysupported atthe lower end of the door 1. These friction drums are morefully illustrated in Figures2 and and consist inga body member 8 having:a pair of, drumv members 9 formed by drawing the. inner portion ofsteel discs 10 inwardly, secured to each side of the body member 8 bymeans of afastening means 11, which may be the ordinary type of machinebolt and nut. The body member 8 is hingedly mounted upon a fasteningplate 12 by means of a bolt 13 in The purpose =of mounting the bodymemberfS upon the hinged support is so that the drum element may swingfrom one side to another, and thus follow the natural arm imovements ofthe operator during the procass, of exercising, so that the cables maynotbecome frayed through contact with the peripheral edges of the discs10 and the peripheralzedge of the body member 8.

' The, outer ends of each pair of cables 7 have hand grips lsecuredthereto so that the cables may be 'graspediby the/hand at their lowere'ndsand drawn awayfromthe drums against;the action ofthe springs 4t and5. It should be noted that the, cables 7 are Wrapped about the drawnportions 9 of the drums once, so as to increase the snubbing effectoccasioned by friction as the cables are drawn over the drums,

In this embodiment of my invention 1 have produced an exerciser in whichmovement of the cables 7 is a relatively short movement, similar tothestroke of an oar,

as in rowing, but if it is desired to increase the movement ofthe'cables, then the ordiv nary type of block and tackle used in thegrav1ty exercising devices maybe employed. For all ordinary purposes,however, the form thereof may bereadilyunderstood. In order 'toaccommodate m'y improved exerciser to the muscular capabilities oftheperson using the'device, 'tl1e exerciser shouldfirstbe adjusted't'o'rthatperson. Tliis rnay be done by a i any ottwo liffereiit \VZY'YS/Firstyby elevatingor lowering the plate 2 upon'the door 1, and second,by engaging the. cables 7 with the drums. Instead of passing the cablesonce about each of the portions 9 of the drums,'the cable'mayb'epass'edtwice around, if the person using the exerciser isparticularly vigorous and strong. Once around the chains is suiiioientfor the ordinary peraway with the springs 4 and '5,and substi- 'son.

"4 and i a'cliild isto use'thedevicmor "a personjn ot possessm'g thenormal strength 'otan adult,thecablesT maybe passed under 'theidr'unisand not Wrapped about the drum. I In tliismaniieig'tlie 'forcerequred'to draw the ables 7 against the actions of the springs 5maybeyarledat will.

fllnusingimy improvedexerciser the op t'or may assume a sitting positionand 'pr'ess'the feet uponthe door 1, or upon the floor and grasp oneotthe hand grips lit in; each hand. The movement of the arms ispractically identical to the movement of the arms ot'a person-rowing aboat. There is s'uliicient drag "upon the cables they pass 'over th'edrum to resist quick movement, but to p'ermit "a slow steady pull. henthe hand grips fl t are fdrawn'siiitioiently awayfromthe"door 'Lthe armsof theoperatormust permit some slack'ot the cables between the hand"'grips and the drums, whereupon thesprings 4t and 5 WilldraW' the cablesback to their original position,

whereby they are ready for anotherstro'ke. I

guresftfand 5 I heyeshown 'a'modim'of'theinvention, inwyhich I do I tiedfor V Qtute tlie fvoluntary j muscular force of a per- 5011. In thismanner, two persons may beneporting inembersI'Z "so that aperson sittinghythe use of the device atthesarne time. To'this end lrprovidea platform'lohjaying a seat portion 16 at each end thereof. A

pair of parallel drum supporting members 17 is disposedat each" sideotthe platform at itsmid point. 'Suitable -foot boards 18 are disposedtran'syersely to the drum supthe cables '4 ing stroke and a returnstroke, the return upon the seats 16 11iay1-Ph1ce his feet upon the'toot' boards 18 and thereby brace himself against the force exerted bythe opposite person pulling "upon the cables 7. In this form of theinvention hand grips 14- are disposed at each end of the pairs of cables7. The body member or central portion 8 of thc-drumsisnot provided witha hinged support 12, but the drums are mounted rigidly upon the drumsupportin g "members 'l'T'by the projection of a bolt 19 in place'oi thebolt 11, which is also projected through the supporting member 17.

The Operation of thisforin of my invention is' practically thesa'me asthat of the preferred form, except'that two persons may use the deviceat the same time, one'pulling "toward himself Wllll'O the opposte'person exerts ust enough tension upon 'the cable's to satisfy tl1.eperson drawing the cable, or simulati-ngthe inoi ement of therowingjstroke. ln'thisi'orm oi the 111VG11-' tion, the operatorsalternately take a rowstroke being retarded suiiiciently to hold thecables taut.

I 1. An exerciser of the type descriln'al a non-rotatable frictiondrun'nimc'ans "tor'hin edly:"In'ouiitiiigsaid druiil upon a support- Ingsurface, a tieiiible cable arrang gcd'itnf frictional engagement withsaid drum, a

handgrip associated "with saidcztblc at one end thereof, and means foroppd'ng inotement or said cablein'one direction as sociat'ed With-theopposite end oi the cable.

2. 'A'neX' eraiser ot the typedescribed pom prising a iioirriitzttabledrunn' means for 'hingedlyiinount n'g said drum on a supportan; surface,a pair of cables arranged io'l' frictional engagement with said drum, a

"spring for resisting thennovement of said cable'in'ohe'direction, and ahand grip carried the ol'iposite end of sa id cable.

AneX'eroiserof the type described contprisingv a friction drum havingits peripheral Wail s'e'p-arat ed'l'iy a-radiall'y extending flangeextending the entire circumtercn'ce of the 'di'un'ntherebydividing said"friction drum into two parts; means for-securing said drum to a"supporting surface, a pair of flexible cables "frictionally,engagedwit-b tliesurfaccs of'saidjdi'uin on either side of said flangebywinding said cables around said drum, a hand grip associated with ad-"ja cent ends of said cables, and means for opposing the movement ofsaid cables in one direction associated With the opposite ends thereof.

' CHARLES vn; L'AYMANQ the

